Digital imaging methods play an ever more important role in medical diagnosis. Whereas digital techniques have been used from the beginning in such diagnostic methods as, for example, computer tomography, magnetic resonance, ultrasound and nuclear medical methods, a transition to digital imaging is currently taking place on a large scale in “conventional” X-ray methods such as radiography, mammography, angiography or cardiology, in particular with the assistance of solid state radiation detectors or planar detectors.
In general, the image processing this involves is becoming ever more complex, to show optimally the diagnostic content of the image. For example, methods are being used which suppress the noise, improve the sharpness on a frequency-selective basis, reduce the proportions of stray radiation, reduce coarse contrasts, use signal-dependent filtering methods etc. Common to the image processing algorithms in these cases is the fact that the complex methods require more and more parameters to be selected for optimal image processing. For the various organs, projections, patient-specific parameters (such as age, gender, weight) and possibly other external conditions, there are in each case additional ideal image processing parameters. The large number of image processing parameters, on the one hand, and on the other hand organ-specific parameters, opens up a large field of so-called “organ programs”, which must be preset before the image is recorded. These organ programs generally contain a set of previously-defined image postprocessing parameters, relating to a specific object under examination, that is an organ in the widest sense, where the term “organ” refers not only to organs in the common sense, but also any other structure of a body, such as a knee, a tissue etc.
In view of the large number of possible examination areas and other boundary conditions, it follows that a large number of organ programs must be previously-defined, so that before the actual examination the doctor or medical assistant is faced with the task of selecting, from the large number of organ programs, the optimal organ program with the necessary post-processing parameters which are optimal for the purpose of the examination or organ to be examined, as applicable. This can sometimes be very demanding and difficult. With the variations in patient parameters, e.g. age, gender, weight, either additional organ programs must be provided or alternatively additional selection steps must be offered, which can have a negative effect on the workflow. In general there is a high risk of incorrect settings. The optimal image processing parameters even differ for different exposures.
In sum, for the doctor the manual and subjective selection method which has been the practice until now, with the multiplicity of individual different organ programs, is awkward, tedious and very easy to make mistakes with.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,775 A discloses an image processing device, by means of which image processing parameters can be determined, by reference to an image which has been made, for subsequent image recordings. For this purpose, the recorded image is analyzed and various analysis parameters determined, by reference to which the parameters for further processing are then determined.